Would you be willing to meet with or write to your MP to raise the issue of preventing group B Strep infections in newborn babies with him/her? If so, please read on ....

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Below are some exchanges in the House of Commons and the House of Lords regarding group B Strep infections in newborn babies. Click on the name of the MP asking the question to see the response they were given.

Nick de Bois (Enfield North, Conservative) 26 July 2010 To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to prevent group B streptococcal infections in newborn babies.

Nick de Bois (Enfield North, Conservative) 20 July 2010 To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many newborn babies were diagnosed with group B streptococcal infections in (a) London and (b) England in each of the last five years.

Cathy Peattie (Labour) 16 July 2010 To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to the use of the enrichment culture method test for screening pregnant women for group B streptococcal infections.

Anne Milton (Shadow Minister, Health; Guildford, Conservative) 10 March 2010 To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps are being taken by his Department to increase levels of compliance with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' guidelines on preventing group B streptococcal infection in newborn babies; (2) what guidelines his Department provides on preventing group B streptococcal infection in newborn babies.

Neil Gerrard (Walthamstow, Labour) 22 February 2010  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance his Department issues to strategic health authorities on the availability of tests to pregnant women for Group B streptococcus infection; (2) how many infant deaths were due to (a) early and (b) late onset Group B streptococcus infection in the latest period for which figures are available.

Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester, Labour) 12 October 2009 To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the implications for his policy of the most recent evidence on testing pregnant women for Group B streptococcus.

Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester, Labour) (12 October 2009) To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance his Department provides to health professionals on implementation in maternity units of the guidelines issued by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for preventing Group B streptococcus infection in newborn babies; (2) if he will take steps to ensure that pregnant women are informed about Group B streptococcus as part of their antenatal care.

Anne Milton (Guildford, Conservative) (20 March 2008) To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2008, Official Report, column 2527W, on Streptococcus screening, when the proposal was made to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE); when he expects a response from NICE; whether he has made an assessment of the method of processing swabs for group B streptococcus carriage in NHS trusts; and if he will bring forward proposals for the enriched culture method test to be available on the NHS.

Anne Milton (Guildford, Conservative) (20 March 2008) To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2008, Official Report, column 2527W, on Streptococcus screening, when the proposal was made to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE); when he expects a response from NICE; whether he has made an assessment of the method of processing swabs for group B streptococcus carriage in NHS trusts; and if he will bring forward proposals for the enriched culture method test to be available on the NHS.

Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (18 March 2008) Three out of 10 pregnant women carry the group B streptococcal bacterium, which is the most common form of life-threatening condition in new-born babies. Will the Minister with responsibility for public health agree to meet me and Group B Strep Support, which campaigns for routine screening for that condition?

Anne Milton (Guildford) (13 March 2008): To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 5th March 2008, Official Report, column 2527W, on Streptococcus screening, when the proposal was made to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE); when he expects a response from NICE; whether he has made an assessment of the method of processing swabs for group B streptococcus carriage in NHS trusts; and if he will bring forward proposals for the enriched culture method test to be available on the NHS.

Anne Milton (Guildford) (5 March 2008) To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ask the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to assess the enriched culture method test for Group B Streptococcal infections.

Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (21 February 2008) Will the Secretary of State for Health make a statement on the national health service's approach to group B streptococcal infections in newborn babies? Three out of 10 pregnant women carry the GBS bacterium, which is the most common cause of life-threatening infections in newborn babies, affecting 700 babies a year, 75 of whom die as a result. The NHS does not routinely screen for the condition, but if it did, 80 per cent. of the infections could be treated.

Theresa May (Maidenhead) (23 January 2008) To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he has conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the introduction of routine screening of pregnant women for Group B Strep; (2) what steps the Government have taken to educate (a) relevant health professionals and (b) pregnant women about the symptoms and prevention of Group B Strep infections in babies; (3) what representations he has received from the Health Protection Agency on the use of the enriched culture medium (ECM) testing method for detecting Group B Strep in late pregnancy; and if he will bring forward proposals for the ECM test to be available on the NHS.

Baroness Cumberlege (18 December 2007) asked Her Majesty's government: What plans they have for screening pregnant women who are infected with Group B streptococcus; whether a meeting is planned to discuss this; and, if so, when this will take place and who will be involved.

Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead) (25 October 2007) To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 October 2007, Official Report, column 1400W, on Streptococcus: pregnant women, if he will take steps to bring the assessment of the most recent evidence on testing pregnant women for group B streptococcus forward in the ongoing programme of work of the UK National Screening Committee; and what method the Committee uses to disseminate the results of its work.

Harry Cohen (Leyton & Wanstead) (19 October 2007) To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will assess the latest evidence for testing pregnant women for group B streptococcus; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Russell (Colchester) (15 June 2007) To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce enrichment culture method tests of all pregnant women to test for streptococcus B; and if she will make a statement.

John Baron (Billericay) (22 May 2007) To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the danger to pregnant women posed by infection with group B streptococcus; what plans she has (a) to introduce a national screening programme for pregnant women and (b) to raise awareness of infection among (i) women and (ii) health care professionals; what assessment she has made of the indicative reliability of (A) a high vaginal swab and (B) the enrichment culture method test; and what plans she has to make the enrichment culture method test available to women free at the point of demand on the NHS.

Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (29 June 2006) To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd) of 6 June 2005, Official Report, columns 439-41W, on streptococcus testing, what the findings were of the studies undertaken by the health technology assessment programme on prenatal screening for group B streptococcus.

Mark Todd (South Derbyshire) (17 January 2006) To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what analysis her Department has made of research and experience in other countries of Group B streptococcus screening during pregnancy; (2) what guidance is given on when a patient should be advised that Group B streptococcus has been detected in a test.